Brooklyn, NY – SUNY Downstate Medical Center has graduated a new class of physicians,
nurses, allied health professionals, research scientists, and public health professionals
at commencement ceremonies held at Carnegie Hall. The ceremonies for 2016 marked the
50th anniversary of SUNY Downstate’s School of Graduate Studies, College of Nursing,
and College of Health Related Professions, as well as its University Hospital of Brooklyn.

Peter J. Levin, ScD, MPH, a pioneer in public health and public health education,
delivered the commencement address for the College of Medicine, School of Graduate
Studies, and School of Public Health in the afternoon ceremony and received an honorary
doctor of science degree. Also receiving an honorary doctor of science degree was
Luther T. Clark, MD, FACC, FACP, an eminent cardiologist and pharmaceutical company
executive. Vernell P. DeWitty, PhD, MBA, MSN, a leader in nursing and nurse education,
spoke to the nursing and allied health professions graduates at the evening ceremony,
and received the President’s Award.

In his remarks to the graduating physicians, scientists, and public health professionals,
SUNY Downstate President John F. Williams, Jr., MD, EdD, MPH, FCCM, said, “You are
graduating during a period of unprecedented change in medicine and healthcare, but
our fundamental goals are the same as they have been for centuries: promote health
and well-being, relieve suffering and pain, save lives, and rescue people from sickness
and disability. You have the capacity to improve human lives in ways virtually unimaginable
even a generation ago, and you have the ability to shape the present in service of
an uncertain and impatient future.”

In his remarks to graduates of the College of Health Related Professions and College
of Nursing, President Williams said, “This ceremony is a very tangible reminder that
Downstate is one of the most diverse medical centers in the country, diverse in the
broadest sense of the word. You come from many backgrounds. Collectively, you represent
many nationalities and speak over 50 languages. You represent all races and cultures
too numerous to count.

“Why is this important? Each of you brings a great deal to the table, and your unique
perspective on the world. You have shared your life experiences with each other, taught
each other, learned from each other. In a society that is becoming ever more blended,
yet ever more diverse, it is important that we educate individuals who know that the
world is complex and who are culturally aware and sensitive to the fact that their
patients come from many backgrounds. This we do at Downstate, and we do it extremely
well.”

In his Commencement address, Dr. Levin discussed “the very serious issue of responsibility
in our society.” He told the graduates, “Watching our presidential primaries we have
to be careful not to think that "they" -- some other beings or groups -- are responsible
for what happens to patients and the public’s health. You, dear graduates, become
responsible new professionals from this day forward.”

He continued, “Financial considerations regarding payments dominate the practice of
medicine and affect physicians’ choices for their patients. Few people go to medical
school to spend their time fighting with the government and insurance companies, but
all of you will do this, not only for your patients, but also for the good of the
public’s health and to maintain the independence of the profession.”

Dr. DeWitty told the new class of nurses and allied health professionals, “You who
are graduating are among the most privileged and informed members of our society and
you have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to shape the world of today and tomorrow.
Now is the time to ask yourself, how will I live the career I have chosen, how will
I define excellence, what values drive your work?”

She added, “Your career in health care provides you this very special opportunity
to touch people. You will be privileged to see people’s joy, their sadness, and their
success. You will have privileged access to patients at times when they are the most
vulnerable. You must always understand this privileged access and hold it in sacred
trust.”

Downstate graduated 204 students from the College of Medicine, 12 students from the
School of Graduate Studies, and 95 students from the School of Public Health. The
College of Nursing graduated 261 students and the College of Health Related Professions
graduated 146 students.

Dr. Peter J. Levin is the only individual to have served as the dean of three schools of public health,
including the School of Public Health at SUNY’s University at Albany. He has excelled
at public service, working in important government positions at local, state, and
federal levels, providing guidance and insight into major health policy issues to
elected and appointed officials. Dr. Levin is an advocate for public health education
and understands the importance of linkages between schools of public health and medical
schools. He served as an advisor to Downstate's School of Public Health during its
transition from a master's program.

Dr. Vernell P. DeWitty is program director of the Robert Wood Johnson New Careers in Nursing Scholarship
Program (NCIN), a national program of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing
(AACN), funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The program provides financial
support to accelerated-degree nursing students from underrepresented backgrounds.
In her role at AACN, Dr. DeWitty has sought to increase the number of underrepresented
persons in nursing through recruitment and enrollment in schools of nursing, and to
provide programs to develop nurse leaders. Since its inception, more than 3,000 NCIN
scholars have completed the program and joined the nursing workforce. NCIN has been
successful in recruiting students from its targeted populations. Twenty-eight percent
of their scholars are African-American, 14 percent are Hispanic/Latino, 11 percent
Asian, and 40 percent are male – all higher percentages than the overall U.S. nursing
student population.

Dr. Luther T. Clark is a researcher with a lifelong commitment to understanding and treating heart disease
and to eliminating health disparities. He is currently global director, scientific
medical and patient perspective, in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer at Merck
& Co., Inc. Before joining Merck, Dr. Clark served as professor of clinical medicine
and chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at SUNY Downstate from 1995 until
2007. He was also director and principal investigator of the National Institutes of
Health-supported Brooklyn Health Disparities Center, a partnership between SUNY Downstate
Medical Center, the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, and the Office of the
Brooklyn Borough President.

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About SUNY Downstate Medical Center

SUNY Downstate Medical Center, founded in 1860, was the first medical school in the
United States to bring teaching out of the lecture hall and to the patient’s bedside.
A center of innovation and excellence in research and clinical service delivery, SUNY
Downstate Medical Center comprises a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School
of Health Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, School of Public Health, University
Hospital of Brooklyn, and a multifaceted biotechnology initiative including the Downstate
Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT for early-stage and more mature companies, respectively.

SUNY Downstate ranks twelfth nationally in the number of alumni who are on the faculty
of American medical schools. More physicians practicing in New York City have graduated
from SUNY Downstate than from any other medical school.